Libya Update Thread - 48 hours for Libyan Freedom ??

[hertsman]

While I have been busy moving house, and losing my internet connection for a couple of weeks, Gaddafi's resistance seems to have been crumbling, even though it is not quite finished off yet. It will be good for Libya in the longer term if the dictator can be levered from power. I will also be relieved to hear that our forces can be withdrawn from combat operations, just as soon as the final resistance is broken.

But it is an established truth that winning the peace can be as difficult, if not more so, than winning the war. It will be a long and rocky road to a comfortable democracy, if that is the course the Libyan people choose. If Gaddafi survives and keeps his freedom, he could become a figurehead for a reactionary insurgency. Given that we committed our forces to the cause, we must now get our diplomacy and support for the new regime right too. And being mercenary about it, we have to make sure we get our share of any rebuilding and new infrastructure contracts that will follow the war while we are about it. I was not a supporter of our action, but given where we are now we cannot be too gentlemanly when it comes to a share of the spoils. We lost out somewhat in Kuwait in the early 90's, so we should have learned our lesson then.

hertsman

[T_J]

The two Mirage F.1 Pilots that defected to Malta have now returned to Libya. The Mirage F.1s remain in Malta and will likely be returned after the UN arms embargo is lifted on Libya?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqAn4r195fg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/vi ... ome.385296" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

TJ